Spring Cleaning
by NettieC
Summary: Spring has arrived and Harm is in the throes of spring fever.


Disclaimer: not mine

Written for the HBX April Challenge  
>Spring here is Sept 1st - Nov 30th and there isn't the same acknowledgement of Spring Fever here at all.<p>

**Spring Cleaning**

The office was immaculately tidy, not unexpected as it was the working home of a Naval officer with a compulsion towards minimalism and neatness and dutifully cleaned each night by staff with high standards. Still, that didn't stop Harmon Rabb fussing about his office making sure everything was just so before he secured for the weekend.  
>"My home could use a good spring clean if you hire yourself out," Mac said from the doorway with a smile.<br>"Mac!" Harm said rounding the table with a huge grin. "I wasn't expecting you back until next week."  
>"Got done a bit earlier than I thought thanks to Bud," she said scanning the office. "Harm, I don't think there's a speck of dust in this room."<br>"Oh," he said, a little embarrassed by his earlier cleaning frenzy. "I had everything squared away and a bit of time to spare, thought I'd put it to good use."

Mac could only laugh; the only time Harm was so industrious was in spring time. For the rest of the year he could overlook a bit of disorder or dust but once the weather started warming up and the days became longer, nothing escaped his urge to clean it.

Reluctantly turning down Harm's invitation for dinner and, after explaining the reasons why, Mac headed home, a place she hadn't been for nearly three weeks. There were three things on her to do list before she even thought about food. One, take a long, hot, private shower where she could relax under the pulsating water and take her time to do as she pleased. Two, was sleep, even a couple of hours in her own, very comfortable bed would be more beneficial to her than all the sleep she'd had on the submarine in recent weeks. And three, she needed to attend to some housework. She knew she'd be confronted with a mess as soon as she opened the door as she had embarked on a spring cleaning spree of her own and had pulled everything out of the kitchen cupboards...most of it remaining on bench tops and the floor when duty had called unexpectedly.

Exhausted, Mac leant her head on the door as she fumbled with the key. Soon, the door opened and she was confronted with an immaculately cleaned apartment. Walking through to the kitchen, everything had been tidied and put away, the window was sparkling and all the fittings were polished. Mac couldn't help but grin; there was only one person who could have done it – Harm.

Pulling out her cell, she went to call him but was stopped by a knock on the door. There Harm stood with a bag of Chinese food. Opening the door quickly, Mac stepped aside to let him in.  
>"I know you said no," he said holding up the food. "But I figured I'd already done one of the things on your list."<br>"You did," she said reaching up and kissing his cheek. "And you did so very well."  
>"I had a lot of free time," he said. Since Mac had been gone he had many evenings free and a lot of energy to expend. He'd done all he could at his own place before attending to things he knew needed fixing at Mac's place.<br>"And I'm very appreciative," she said taking the food from him and placing it on the coffee table.

Turning back, she looped her arms around his neck before kissing him deeply. She'd wanted to do it since she saw him in his office but protocol had stopped her.  
>"And, like the cleaning," he said once they had pulled apart. "I'm more than happy to help you out with that shower you wanted to take and the bed..."<br>"I'll take you up on that," she said kissing him once more. She had missed him so much in the last three weeks, more than she had ever expected.

Dinner was enjoyed before they headed to the shower and Harm volunteered to shampoo and condition Mac's hair. For her part, Mac spent the time melting into his touch and by the time he had finished, she was almost asleep on her feet.  
>"I'm really sorry," she said as they stepped from the shower. "But as much as I'd love too, I don't think I'm up to doing anything in bed other than sleep."<br>"No need to apologise, beautiful," he said. "I'm more than happy just to hold you. I've missed you so very much."

Their lips touched briefly before they went about the task of drying and preparing for bed.

With Mac dressed in a white tee and her underwear and Harm in his boxers, they climbed into bed and Mac slipped straight into his arms. She was asleep before he had finished telling her how much he loved her.

While Mac slept deeply and soundly, the same couldn't be said for Harm. Although he was extremely comfortable, it hadn't long gone seven and this was the earliest he'd been in bed, for sleeping purposes, in many years. Still, he had Mac in his arms and this was something he wanted for the rest of his life, so he was more than willing to lay there in the dwindling light and be her pillow.

When sleep finally claimed him, he slept soundly, not even stirring when Mac got up in the early hours for the bathroom. His first awareness that she'd been out of bed was when he awoke long after dawn to find his sleeping beauty beside him totally nude. He knew for a certainty she'd gone to bed clothed which could only mean she'd been awake at some time.

His discovery had been made by his hand roaming over her body and he didn't let the lack of apparel deter him from continuing his exploration of her body.  
>"I wanted to save time," she muttered as she came back to awareness.<br>"Save time for what?" he asked, kissing her head as she began to move.  
>"Sex," she said with a yawn. "Do you know it's been 19 days since we made love?" she asked, pushing herself up on an elbow to look at him.<br>"Oh yeah," he said with a groan. "I'm well aware that it's been 19 days."  
>"Don't you think we should rectify that?" she asked, slipping her hand under the waistband of his boxers and pushing them down.<br>"Definitely," he said. "But only if you're up to it."  
>"Only if you're 'up' to it," she said with a grin.<br>"For you, I'm always up for it," he said with a chuckle.  
>"So, I've noticed," she chided as she moved down the bed to rid him completely of his boxers.<p>

On her way back up the bed, Mac took her time to kiss and caress his body as she went but soon realised Harm was getting a little impatient.  
>"Not that I don't love what you're doing," he said, raising her face to meet his. "But 19 days!"<br>"Do you have plans for the weekend?" she asked as she straddled him. After all, she wasn't due back and he may have made other arrangements.  
>"Only to find things to do to expend some of this seasonal energy," he said. "Thought about detailing the cars – mine and yours and ..."<p>

Mac leant forward and covered his mouth with hers before kissing him deeply and endlessly. When she pulled back breathless, she couldn't help but grin at the glazed look on his face.  
>"Well, I wouldn't mind you spending all that energy on me, if you'd like," she said in a low seductive voice.<br>"Oh, I'd like. I'd like a lot," he said tumbling them over before showing her just how much energy he had, how much he loved her and how much he had missed her.

While it may have been a coolish day outside, the pair became feverish with the intensity of their encounters over the course of the day. It was a spring fever to be exact and Harm found being with Mac far more satisfying than his penchant for cleaning. He could only pray this seasonal energy extended to summer and fall and winter ...


End file.
